Self-winding electric clock.



PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

1 I M. MENKIN.

SELF WINDING ELBGTRIOGLOGK.

APPLICATION I ILED MAB13O, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET i.

No. 813,161. PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906. M. MENKIN. SELF WINDING ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION TILED MARIN/1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Illl PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

M. MENKIN. SELF WINDING ELECTRIC CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.30, 1904.

\ 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1 No. 813,161. PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

- 1 M. MBNKIN.

SELF WINDING ELECTRIC GLOGK.

APPLIOATIOF rum) 11111.30, 190.4.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

I It} i who z I MAX M-ENKIN, OF NEW YORK, N: Y.

SELF-WINDING ELECTRIC CLOCK.

Specification of LettersPatent.

" Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

Application flied March 30, 1904. Serial No. 200,776-

To all whom it. may concern:

, -Be it known that I, MAX MENKIN, a sub- "k ect of the Czar of Russia, residing in New ork, borough of Manhattan, and State of New York, ave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Winding Attachments for Clocks, of which the following very little current, and having a self-cleaning is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clocks, and more especially to self-winding attachments for clocks, and to electrome-' the mechan-' chanical devices for actuatin ism of the works of marine c ocks' or other mechanisms which run irrespective of their position and in which the pendulum is dispensed with and a balance-wheel or governor employed to allow the actuatingower to be gradually expended, said power eing'intermittently restored by. the winding up of the motor-spring by the intermittent closin of an electric circuit and the actuation 0 an armature of an electromagnet in said circuit.

' The object of'the invention is to provide an actuating device for clocks having meansfor intermittently closing and immediately thereafter opening the electric circuit for actuating the armature of an electromagnet, and thereby intermittently winding a motor-sprin said means being intended to be of simp e construction, compact, cheap, efficient, using contact and far superior to the more complicated actuating devices used hitherto.

For this purpose the invention consists of an improved device for actuating clockworks and other mechanisms, which comprises an electromagnet, an oscillating armature pro-. I vided with pawls actuated by the magnet, an

arbor provided with a inion engaging the clockwork or other mec anism, and with a loosely-mountedtoothed wheel, engaged by the pawls of-the armature, a motor-s ring,

one end of' which is connected wit the loosely-mounted toothed Wheel, while the other end is connected with the arbor, and means for; intermittently, closing the circuit of theqelectromagnet foractuating the armag tureflotatingthe toothed wheel, and so windmg up the -motor-spring, which on' unwinding rotates the farborf'and actuates the clock or otherlnechanism with which the pinion of the arbor engages.

'-J: -*The invention consistsmore particularly of means for intermittently closing the elecr 5 5 trio circuit foractuating t e electromagnet, 'a'ndso rewinding the motor-spring, which which su port the Each 0 means, togetherwith other novel features,

will be more fully described hereinafter and terminals omitted for the sake of clearness.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show rear views of the upper part of the electromagnet and the armature, Y

showing different positions of the means used in my improved actuating device for intermittently'closing the current. Fig. 8 shows a front view, Fpartly-in section, taken on line 8 8, Fig. 2.; ig. 9 shows ahorizontal section throu h Fig. 8, taken on line 9 9, but showing the ar 'or withdrawn in order to show more clearly the component partsof my improved actuating device. Fig. 10 shows a top view of the means for intermittently closing the current formin part of my im roved actuating device. ig. 11 shows a etail view of one terminal of the current-closing-means, taken on line 11 11 of 'Fig. 9. Fig. 12 shows a detail view of the other terminal of the curordinary c ock-train whic is attached to a supporting-plate F, to which a dial D of anysuitable size is attached, over which indicat ing-hands (Lmove. On a base-plate F is arranged an electroina net, the pole-pieces of ameWork of the improved se f-Windin mechanism. Thisframe- Work consists of a ont plate F, a rear plate F, and transverse pillars F which connect the front and rear plates. Intermediately between the front and rear plates is arranged a plate F, which is clearly. shownin Figs; 2 and 9 and which is provided with o for the assage of the connecting-pil f the connecting-pillars 1s provided with a screw-thread at one end and rovided with a screw threaded socket at t e other end, so as to permit the connection of one member with the other. Inter osed be- IIO tween each member-of the connecting-pillars pillars also pass through the pole-pieces E of the electromagnet. For supporting the front and rear plates screws f which engage the screw-threaded sockets of the pillars, and nuts f which engage the screwthreaded ends of the pillars, are provided. By passing the pillars throu h the pole-pieces and connecting as 'descri ed a device at once compact and easily assembled is produced. The electromagnet E .is sup orted on the base-plateF The cores of t e electromagnet E are provided with the arc-shaped polepieces E, which correspond in length and in shape to the ends E of the armature E, that swings over the same and is keyed to a shaft S, the beveled or pointed ends of which engage pivot-holes of the rear and intermediate plates. The armature E is preferably made of laminated lates, as shown in Fig. 4,

for the purpose of 0 taining a more sensitive actuation and cheaper construction than the solid armaturesused hitherto. The lates are stamped from suitable material an then suitably joined, so forming the armature, which is provided with a third shank E, adapted to act as a counterbalancing-weight. A helical spring 0 connects the armatureshank E wlth a pin e, rojecting from the lower part of the rear ate. The intermediate plate F is provided with a recess e which conforms in shape to a pawl-carrying rod 6 rojecting from the armature-shank. The rod 0" is covered with a layer 6 of suitable material adapted to eifect a cushioning when the rod abuts against the plate F on the return movement of the armature, so as to arrest the movement of the same. The tension of the spring 6 serves to return the armature in proper position in proximity to the pole-pieces and ready to be actuated on engaging the electromagnet.

To the front part of the intermediate plate F is attached a plate F having a collar F and a central opening F, as shown clearly in Figs. 8 and 9. The plate Fis se arated from the intermediate plate F by a ayer F of insulating material, so as to insulate the plate F from the plate F Through the central 0 ening F of the plate F and secured to t e plate F and in electrical connection therewith is a small disk F", provided with a pivot-hole F intended to act as bearings for one end of an arbor or shaft 9. The

other end of the arbor or shaft 9 is pivoted to the front wall F and provided with a wheel g, meshingwith a pinion g of the clocktrain or other mechanism to be actuated. Connected with the pinion g is a disk g", which supports a contzwt-terminal g and a banking-rod 9 the scre\\-'-threaded end of which en ages a screw-threaded socket in the disk g, w ereby it may be readily withdrawn or detached from the same. he contactterminal g is made of a plate-spring of L shape, one leg of which is connected with the plate.

disk 9 while the other leg is bent into circu lar shape. as to conform approximately to the circular eriphery of the disk g The free end-of t e terminal 9 is provided with a small rod g, of platinum or other suitable metal, projecting toward the intermediate Movable on the arbor g is a ratchetwheel 9 provided at its periphery with a large num er of ratchet-teeth t. A helical motor-spring g is provided and has one end g connected with the arbor and the other end g connected with the ratchet-wheel g. To prevent the spring from pressing against the arbor and to insure an effective action of the parts, the ratchet-Wheel g is provided with a sleeve 9, which is arranged intermediately between the arbor and spring.

On the front face of the ratchet-wheel g is supported at g a second contact-terminal g", insulated from the ratchet-wheel 9 by a layer 9 of insulatin material. This contact-terminal g is a so made of a suitable plate-springv or other resilient material and of L shape, one leg of which is connected with the ratchet-wheel 9 while the other leg is so arranged or bent as to be of circular shape, so as to conform approximately to the circular periphery of the'ratchet-wheel g". The free end of the contact-terminal g is provided with a small rod 9 of platinum or other suitable material, of a shape corresponding to one side of a lintel-shaped projection m arranged on the ratchet-wheel g, as shown most clearly in Fig. 12. The projection m is preferably of insulated material. On the rear face of the ratchet- 'wheel g is a contact-brush 9", (shown most most clearly in Fig. 8,) which is in electrical connection with the electromagnet E and batter B b r means of the wire W The front ace 0 the ratchet-wheel g" is lastly provided with a projection m supporting a small plate-spring 'm, which is adapted to arrest the movement of the terminal 9 by acting as a bar to the banking-rod 9 as shown most clearly in Fig. 10, and which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The pawl-supporting rod e is provided with two spring-actuated pawls m m, the position of which is clearly shown in Fig. 8, which positively engage the teeth t of the pcriphery of the ratchet-wheel g". The inter mediate plate F is provided with a rod 71, on which are supported spring-actuated pawls m m, which are also clearly shown in Fig. 8 and which positively engage the teeth t of the ratchet-wheel g" at a. point of the ratchetwheel approximately diametrically to the point of engagement of the pan-ls m m and which act ascheck-pawls. By the not ion of these sets of pawls, one of eaclrsct being arranged so newhat in advance of the other, any

backlash that mayoccur is taken up, thus enabling a ratchet-wheel of small diameter-- to be used and the eatest movement of the ratchet-wheel obtained for'the amount of velectromagnet is a spark-preventing coil R,

adapted, as is well known, to prevent sparking at the contact-points gf'and g of the terminals 9 and 9 One ofthe conductingwires W of the electromagnet is connected with one pole of the battery B, the other pole of which is connected with the intermediate late F by Wire-W .r Insteadof the battery the conducting-wires may be connected with two terminals of any other suitable source of electricity. The late Ftis in electrical connection with the hearing F arbor g, and contact-terminal g. The other wire W of the electromagnet is connected with the plate F which is in electrical connection with the collar Fl", brush 9 contacting there-- with, and contactterminal 9 The electrical circuit is clearly shown in Fig.- 13.

In normal position the armature is in the position shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, and the contact-making terminals 9 g are in the osition shown in Fig, 5, the motorspring.g eing under tension. As the spring unwinds it causes the wheel 9 to rotate, and so actuate the clock-train or other mechanism connected therewith, simultaneously causing the contact-terminal g to move toward the other contact-terminal g. The projection m is preferably lintel-shaped, having its major axis aranged in' obliquity to the direction of movement of the approachin contact-terminal 9, so that the rod g of t e terminal 9 encounters the lower part of the projection and is somewhat moved radially outward during its movement on the same, whereby the terminal 9 is set to tension, so that at the end of the movement of the rod g on the projection it drops -quickly upon the rod 9 of' the terminal 9 making a firm contact with the same. By the contact thus produced the electric circuit is closed, the electromagnet E energized, the armature E actuated, and the shanks E brought into alinement with the projecting pole-pieces E, setting the spring e by this movement to tension. B

the movement of the armature E the paw s m m", which engage the teeth of the ratchetwheel 9 cause the ratchet-wheel-g to hemtated, and thereby rewind the motorspring,

, setting it to tension.- -By this movement the rod 9 of the terminalg and the projection mare moved away from the other rod g of the terminal 9 in such va manner that the rod of the terminal is caused to glide along t e lower side of t e lintel-shaped projection, this time in opposite direction to its 'movementon the up er side of the same.

The rod 9 o the terminal 9 remains relatively stationary, and the projection m and from the stationary rod. The movement of the lintel-shaped projection causes the ter-,

rod 9 of the terminal quickly move away minal g to be set somewhat to tension, the I terminal 9 being alread set to tension by the rod g of the termina .9 being interposed between the rod 9 and projection m. Thus immediately before the separation of the terminals g and g both are set to tension, 'so that when they finally se arate they'do so very rapidly and instant y break contact. This breaks the electrical contact and the armature E is released,whereby it promptly returns, actuated by the springs, to its orig1- nal position, so that the pawl-su porting rod u e abuts against or rests omthe p ate F; The

armature remains. in -t is position durin the radual unwinding of the spring g nut by t is unwinding the contactternnnal g is again brought into contact with the contactterminal 9 in a similar manner as hereinbefore described, so that the electric circuit is 3 closed, the electromagnet energized, the mo tor-spring rewound, and the rods g and g" simu taneously separated. This contact making and breaking takes place intermittently at suitable intervals commensurate with the even tensioning of the motor-spring, 'thus continuously maintaining it at an even tension, so as to efliciently actuate thereby the clock-train or other mechanism. The contact-making device described is self-cleaning and of simple construction, permitting it to- I be made 0 eaply and. requiring little or no attention as compared with the expensive and more complicated devices heretofore en1- ployed. When the batteries are weak, the rods 9 and g of the terminal will contact and close the circuit; but the current of the circuit will be too weak to. actuate the armature and rotate the ratchet-wheel g, which would, as above described, cause the separation of the contact-terminals. Hence by the continued unwinding of the motor-spring g the rod g of the terminalq will pass along the other terminal 9 permittin the terminals to arrange themselves in sue a ositio n that when the batteries are replace and a full current supplied and the terminals actuated, as described, the separation would be such as to be liable to cause destruction, and

of the banking-rod g, detachably secured to the disk so as to arrest the movement of the term nal 9; By these means the proper position of the contact-rods of the terminals is insured, so that when the armature has been swung over the poles of the magnet it will not fail to move the plate 9 terminal 9, and projection m sufliciently to release terminal g from between the rojection m and terminal g. Thus when tl ie batteries have not sufficient strength to actuate the armature, and so move the plate g, terminal g, and projection m away from the other terminal g, the force of the motor-spring will carry the terminal g only immediately beyond the projection m, when the banking-rod 9 will abut against the banking-spring m and so maintain the contacts in position in order .to act properly when. the new batteries are supplied. Furthermore, the banking arrangement does not allow the motor-spring to expend all the tension previously given to it, so that it may have an eventension between the intermittent rewinding, causing thereby an even running of the mechanism which it actuates. This feature is specially important with clocks. For purposes of repair and adjustment the banking-rod g is made detachable.

The contact-making device described, comprising the terminals and banking arrangement, is arranged with a View to be assembled easily, the parts being simple in construction, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture of the device.

The device or attachment described can also be applied for winding other spring-actuatedmechanism, such as are employed in telegraph-registers, phonographs, and other apparatus:

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent V I 1. A self -Winding attachment for clocks, consistin of a supporting-frame formed of front and rear plates and connecting-pillars, a clock-train, a dial and hands therefor sup ported by one of the plates, an intermediate plate interposed between the front and rear plates and supported by said pillars, an electromagnet, an armature for the same, springactuated pawls on the armature, a shaft for the armature journaled in the intermediate and rear plates, an arbor journaled in the intermediate and front plates, a pinion at one end of the arbor engaging the clock-train, a plate secured to the pinion of the arbor and provided with a contact-terminal, a ratchetwheel movable on the arbor and adapted to be engaged by the pawls of the armature, a contact-terminal supported by the ratchet wheel, a motor-sprin having its ends secured to the arbor an to the ratchet-wheel, a source of electricity, and conductors electrically connecting the electromagnet, source of electricity and contact-terminals.

2. In a self-winding attachment for clocks, the combination of a mainspring, a shaft in connection with the inner end of the mainspring, a movable member connected with and operated by the shaft, a second movable member connected with and operated by the outer end of the mainspring, a source of elec tricity, a contact-terminal for each member, each connected with one pole of the SQJJPQC of electricity, and a lintel-shaped projection on the second member in close proximity to the contact-terminal thereon, the major axis'of the pro'ection and the direction of movement 0 the contact terminal of the first member being in obliquity to each other, the projection being adapte( to gradually tension the contact-terminal of the first member on its approach to the contact-terminal of the second member, release the so-tensioned contact-terminal of the first member, at the end of its path thereon, so as to cause it to forcibly contact with the contact-terminal of the second member, and adapted to act as a guide and cause the contact member of the first member to be tensioned when the same passes between it and the contact-terminal of the second member.

3. A self -winding attachment for clocks, comprising a mainspring, a shaft connected with the mainspring, a movable member socured to the shaft, a second movable member connected with and operated b the outer end of the mainspring, a lintel-s iaped projection on one of said members, a source of electricity, and a contact terminal for each movable member,connected with a pole of the source of electricity, the contact-terminal on the member supporting the projec tion being in proximity to and conforming substantially to the contour of the projection, while the contact-terminal of the other movable member is provided with an end adapted to ass along the projection.

4. In a se f-winding attachment for clocks,

the combination of a mainspring, a shaft in V connection with the inner end of the mainspring, a movable member connected with andoperated by said shaft, a second movable member connected with and operated by the outer end of the mainspring, a lintelshaped projection on one of said members, a

source of e ectricity, and a contact-terminal for each member, each connected with a pole of the source of electricity, one of said contact-terminals being provided with an end conforming substantially to the contour of the lintel-shaped projection and the other of said contact-terminals being provided with an end adapted to pass along the projection, said end being at an angle to the other contact-terminal when in contact therewith.

5. In a self-winding attachment for clocks, the combination of a mainspring, a shaft in connection with the inner end of the mainspring, a movable member connected with and operated by the shaft, a second movable member connected with and operated by the outer end of the mainspring, and contactterminals, one on each member, each con-.- ,nected with. a pole of a source of electricit tricity, a plate secured to the supporting-- plate but insulated therefrom, having a central openingand connected with the other pole o a source of electricity, a collar on said nsulated plate, a shaft pivotally sup orted by the supporting-plate, pas'sirn throu the central opening of the insulate plate ut not in contact therewith, a contact-terminal movable with said shaft, a ratchet-wheel movable in respect to the shaft, a contact-terminal on the ratchet-Wheel insulated therefrom but in electrical connection with the collar on the insulated plate, a lintel-shaped projection on the ratchet-wheelin'proximity to the end of the last-named terminal, and a motor-' 'sprin connecting the shaft and the ratchetwhee 7. In a self-winding attachment for clocks, the combination of a mainspring, a shaft in connection with the inner end of the mainsprin a member connected with and operated y the shaft, a second member connected with and operated by the outer end of the mainsprin means adapted to periodically tension t 'e mainspring, and means on each of. said members prO ecting laterall therefrom, adapted when in engagement with each other, after a partial unwinding of the mainspring but with the mainspring still under tension, to limit the movement of the members so as to prevent the further unwinde ing of the mainspring.

8. In a self-winding attachment for clocks, the combination of sup ortinglates, a shaft pivotally supported by said su portingplates, a movable member secure to said shaft, a banking-rod on said member, a second movable member rotatable on said shaft,

a banking blade on said second member, adapted to arrest the movement ofthe banking-rod, a motor spring having its endsconnected with the members, and contact termmals on each of said members.

9. In a self-winding attachment forclocks,

-, the combination of a mainspring, a shaft carrying the inner end of the mainspring, a member connected with and operate by the shaft, a second member connected with and oper-' ated by the outer end of the mainsprmg, a

source of electricity, contact termmals on said members each connected with a pole of the source of electricity, a lintel-shaped pro jection on one of said members in proximity to' the contact-terminal thereon, a bankingrod'on one member, and a banking-blade on the other adapted to arrest the movement of the banking-rod.

10. In a self-windin attachment for clocks, the combination 0 supporting-plates,

a shaft pivotally supported b 'said supporting-plates, a movable mem er secured to said aft, a'banking-rod detachably secured to said member, a second movable member rotatable on said shaft, a banking-blade on said second member adapted to arrest the movement of the banking-rod, a motorsprin having its ends connected with the mem ers, a contact-terminal on each of said members, a collar secured to one of said supporting-plates but insulated therefrom, a

rush on the-second member in electrical connection with the collar and with the contactterminal on said member, a source of electricity, and means connecting said collarand the contact-terminal of the first member with the poles of said source of electricity. 1-1. In a self-windin attachment for clocks, the combination 0 an electromagnet, a source of electricity, an electrical connecttion between said magnet and said source of electricity, a plurality of supporting plates supported by the poles of the electromagnet, an armature movable between the poles of the electromagnet, a shaft for the armature journaled in two adjacent supporting-plates, means between the two other adjacent plates adapted to close the electric circuit of the electromagnet for actuating the armature,

myinvention have signed my name in pres- I 10 ence,of two subscribing witnesses.

' MAX MENKIN Witnesses:

'PAUL GOEPEL,

HENRY J SUHRBIER. 

